Seechewal trust 'holding' panchayat land

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 10

All-India Kisan Congress chief and Bholath MLA Sukhpal Khaira today alleged the Ek Onkar Charitable Trust — Nirmal Kutia Seechewal — operated by the Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP, Balbir Singh Seechewal, has illegally possessed 21 acres of land at Jamewal and Fateh Wala villages in Sultanpur Lodhi.

Earlier, Lovely Professional University owned by an AAP Rajya Sabha MP, had come under the scanner for allegedly grabbing panchayat land. Citing revenue records from 2018-19, Khaira alleged Seechewal owned trust has illegally posessed seven acres of land at Jamewal and 14 acres at Fateh Wala villages.

In his letter addressed to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Khaira stated, “The trust owned by MP Balbir Singh Seechewal is illegally possessing 56 kanals (7 acres) at Jamewal and 112 kanals (14 acres) at Fateh Wala.”

Khaira said the trust was reportedly using this land for agriculture purpose for the past many decades, but never deposited money in the bank accounts of respective panchayats.

Denying the allegations, Seechewal said the land was handed to him to run a “gaushala”. He said, “The land was formally given to us by Harjinder Singh, former chairman, Sultanpur Lodhi Block Samiti. When we were planting saplings at the Sutanpur Lodhi railway station, we came across around 40 stray cattle. Harjinder gave us the land to run the ‘gaushala’. We have also paid three instalments and plant fodder to provide feed to the cattle on the said land. We have nothing to hide. At present, 300 head of cattle are in the ‘gaushala’.”

Have nothing to hide

The land was formally given to us by Harjinder Singh, former chairman, Sultanpur Lodhi Block Samiti... We have paid three instalments and plant fodder to provide feed to the cattle on the said land. We have nothing to hide. — Balbir Singh Seechewal, AAP Rajya Sabha MP

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